Smart #2 is undergoing global testing ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October. Credit: Smart
The all-electric 2-seater Smart #2 is undergoing global testing ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October.
Smart will produce the Smart #2 in China for sale in China, Europe and other overseas markets.
Smart, the joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely, is conducting global testing of its all-electric 2-seat city car, the Smart #2, ahead of the model’s world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October.
The Smart #2, currently wrapped in black-and-white camouflage created by the Mercedes-Benz Global Design Team, is undergoing pre-production testing and validation, the company said Monday.
The tests are designed to ensure the reimagined classic 2-seater delivers strong urban agility, driving stability, improved noise, vibration and harshness performance, and safety, it said.
“The Smart #2 is born from the seamless, high-level collaboration between the Mercedes-Benz Global Design Team and the Smart Global R&D Team,” said Yang Jun, global chief technology officer of Smart.
“Through the relentless global physical testing program, we are confident to offer global consumers class-leading safety, driving stability, whisper-quiet refinement, and the unmatched urban agility that defines our legacy.”
The Smart #2 retains the original Smart ForTwo’s signature “wheels-at-the-corners” layout, designed to provide strong maneuverability in tight urban spaces.
At dedicated proving grounds, the vehicle has undergone agility tests simulating real-world urban situations including sudden obstacles, emergency lane changes and wet roads with low traction.
Engineering teams have also conducted noise, vibration and harshness validation in wind tunnels, acoustic laboratories, 4-post test rigs, proving grounds and on public roads.
To ensure long-term reliability, the vehicle has undergone durability testing on rough roads, continuously undulating surfaces and pothole-ridden city streets. The tests also simulated common urban driving situations such as mounting curbs and striking deep potholes.
The new-generation tridion safety cell meets modern safety standards while retaining the vehicle’s compact dimensions, the company said.
The Smart #2 is the successor to the original ForTwo and is based on a new all-electric architecture developed specifically by Smart for ultra-compact vehicles. It will be produced in China and sold in China, Europe and other overseas markets.
Its prototype concept, the Smart Concept #2, debuted in April ahead of the Beijing Auto Show. The vehicle measures just 2.79 meters in length, has a turning circle of 6.95 meters and offers an all-electric range of nearly 300 kilometers.
The Smart brand was established in 1998. In January 2020, Mercedes-Benz and Geely formed a joint venture for the brand, headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.
Smart also released official images of the new-generation Smart #1 today, featuring upgrades to more than 200 aspects of the vehicle, including its electrical and electronic architecture, intelligent cockpit, advanced driver-assistance system, powertrain and charging system.
The new model adds a roof-mounted LiDAR and is equipped with the Geely Afari Smart Driving H5, or G-ASD H5, advanced driver-assistance system. It is powered by an Nvidia Orin Y chip and the system delivers peak computing power of 200 TOPS.
Built on an 800-volt silicon-carbide high-voltage platform, the vehicle has a CLTC range of 535 kilometers. It supports 6C ultra-fast charging, allowing the battery to charge from 10% to 80% in 12 minutes.
The Smart #6 EHD hybrid sedan offers a combined driving range of up to 1,810 km, with LiDAR as standard across all variants.